Posts Tagged ‘#OnePride’

DETROIT – Golden Tate was disappointed with the Detroit Lions fans who were at Ford Field Sunday.

The veteran receiver didn’t appear angry or sound as if he was blasting the fans after a 42-17 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. But he also didn’t like some of the things he saw and heard as the Lions’ record fell to 0-5.

Fans began booing when quarterback Matthew Stafford threw an interception on the fourth play of the game – Tate was his intended target – and by the time the game finally ended there were only a few thousand at the most still in the stands.

“You know, I’m the first one to say I love our fans and I think our fans are amazing and they’ve been patient for a long time,” Tate said. “But before the game got out of hand, you know before the game started, I looked up, there a lot of empty seats.

“Early on in the game, our team is getting booed. Later in the game, it sounded like the loudest they got was when Stafford was leaving the game and Dan (Orlovsky) was coming in and that’s not the support that we want.

“You know, when we win, we all win together – the city, as an organization, as a state. When we lose, we all lose together. Today, I felt like at times our fan base kind of turned their back on us.”

At that point, a reporter started to interrupt with another question and Tate said he wasn’t finished.

“But we have a lot of confidence in our fan base and we can’t do this without our fan base,” Tate continued. “And we expect them to be with us a little bit better next week. We got a chance to still be special. We got two more at home … and we’re expecting our fan base to be there for us and support us.

“I know we’re not playing the type of football that we want to play right now but we need our fans. We need them.”

Tate was asked if he realized his comments might not go over well with the long-suffering fans, many of whom have seen the Lions win one just one playoff game since 1957, when they won the city’s last NFL championship.

“I consider us family, though, and I think there’s going to be time where family go through trials and tribulations,” Tate said. “There’s going to be times where we don’t agree with each other as far as family but at the end of the day we still gotta find a way to come together is how I see it.

“I don’t see our fan base as just the Lions fans. I consider us family and what I mean by that is it’s more than football to me. It’s being out in the community trying to bring this city together. You know, helping whoever I can who is down. And right now we’re just down.

“But we need the continuous support of our family at the end of the day.”

Rochester Hills — Golden Tate walked into Dick’s Sporting Goods on Thursday and was dumbfounded when he saw a wall of Lions jerseys.

There were plenty of Calvin Johnson and Matthew Stafford jerseys. And several Ndamukong Suh No. 90s, too, even though he’s off to Miami.

The only No. 15 — Tate’s number — was on a mannequin at the entrance.

But this wasn’t an oversight. Two store workers said the Rochester Hills location had simply sold out of his jersey, one of the many signs Tate has developed a strong following since signing a five-year, $31 million deal in 2014.

And on Thursday it showed as Tate hosted a youth camp attended by approximately 190 kids.

“That’s something I don’t get caught up thinking about,” Tate said of his increasing popularity. “I’m here to do a job, and I’m here to help bring this community together as much as I can. The way I see it, I’m more than just a football player.”

Tate worked with campers at each station, using a microphone to rally parents in the bleachers at Rochester Adams. When the camp ended, he took 10 campers to Dick’s, where they could buy $150 worth of gear with gift cards provided by store officials.

Before the shopping spree, Tate said he’d be fine with the children buying Johnson jerseys because he’s still with the Lions.

“Just no Suhs,” he said. “That’s a blast from the past.”

Tate, who spent his first four years with the Seahawks, has increased his receptions and yardage in each of his five seasons. He had career bests with the Lions last season with 99 receptions for 1,331 yards. He agreed his performance has made him more popular, but realizes more people will be watching now.

“I think there’s more pressure this year that I don’t come back and have a dud year,” he said.

Tate said he believes he can do better this season, but isn’t focused on meeting any benchmarks. Instead, his goals are team related — win the NFC North, win every game at Ford Field, and go deep in the playoffs.

“If we can do all those things, I would think that statistically I’ll be right on track,” he said.

Tate said conducting a camp like Thursday’s was important because he remembered having star athletes come to his practices or camps when he was young.

The event at Dick’s also was organized by ProCamps — a management and sports marketing company — and was just one more opportunity for him to create memories for some young players.

“Everyone in here who’s receiving a gift card deserves it,” he said. “They worked hard or they’re doing something right, and I think it’s important to show you can be rewarded when you work hard and when you are doing the right things.”